The present invention relates to a facilitated input unit.
Several types of facilitated input units have been developed in the recent years, for example for allowing persons with certain physical disabilities in their motor functions to use a PC (Personal Computer). These input units do not require use of the hands, and typically control interactions with the computer by tracking a user""s head and/or eye movement, as described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,682,159, 5,323,174 and 5,367,315.
A solution known in the art, particularly useful for entering input data by persons also possessing a speech difficulty or disability, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,645 and consists of showing on a monitor of the computer a keyboard layout. The user moves a cursor to a desired key by slight head rotations; the user then speaks a short command sound to input a character associated with the chosen key into the computer.
A drawback of the solution described above is that it requires modifications of an existing software controlling operation of the computer; particularly, an operating system must be customised in order to show the keyboard layout (for example in a dedicated window) and to accept the input characters chosen by the user""s head movement.
Moreover, the window used to show the keyboard layout is always open and involves wastage of working space on the monitor; this reduces the amount of information that can be shown simultaneously to the user by active application programs running on the computer.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks. In order to achieve this object, a facilitated input unit as set out in the first claim is proposed.
Briefly, the present invention provides a facilitated input unit for interacting with a system having a first display for showing information to a user, the input unit including means for showing available input items and means for selecting one of the items and entering the selected item into the system without using the user""s hands, wherein the means for showing includes a second display distinct from the first display.
Moreover, the present invention also provides a computer including this input unit, and a corresponding method of interacting with a system.